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Ramal Talca-Constitución
The Ramal Talca-Constitución, also known as the Ramal de Maule is the last remaining Narrow-gauge railway, narrow-gauge ''ramal'' (branch line) in Chile. Its route follows the north bank of the Maule River and crosses the Communes of Chile, communes of Talca, Maule, Chile, Maule, Pencahue and Constitución, Chile, Constitución, with Constitución, Chile, Constitución the last station on the line. The route features views of the Andes, Andean foothills and the Pacific Ocean. The line can support a speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). The railway is facing closure due to inactivity and an increased preference for private transport. Chile's last passenger metre gauge railway, the ''ramal'' runs through an area not served by other ground transportation. The Banco de Arena Railway Bridge over the Maule River, designed by architect Gustave Eiffel, was built from 1908 and 1915 by Schneider and Company. On May 25, 2007 the line was declared a National Monuments of Chile, national ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Narrow Gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with Minimum railway curve radius, tighter curves, smaller structure gauges, and lighter Rail profile, rails; they can be less costly to build, equip, and operate than standard- or broad-gauge railways (particularly in mountainous or difficult terrain). Lower-cost narrow-gauge railways are often used in mountainous terrain, where engineering savings can be substantial. Lower-cost narrow-gauge railways are often built to serve industries as well as sparsely populated communities where the traffic potential would not justify the cost of a standard- or broad-gauge line. Narrow-gauge railways have specialised use in mines and other environments where a small structure gauge necessitates a small loading gauge. In some countries, narrow gauge is the standard: Ja ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
